Celebs React to Karmelo Anthony Verdict
The verdict in the murder trial of Karmelo Anthony has sparked intense reactions across social media, with supporters and critics sharply divided over both the outcome and the sentence handed down by a Collin County jury. On June 9, jurors found Anthony guilty of murder in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, before sentencing him to 35 years in prison.
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The incident occurred on April 2, 2025, when Anthony and Metcalf, students from different schools, became involved in a confrontation under a team tent during a weather delay at a track meet.
Prosecutors argued that Anthony initiated an unjustified attack when he stabbed Metcalf in the chest, while defense attorneys maintained that Anthony acted out of fear and in self-defense after being confronted and pushed. After hearing testimony from eyewitnesses, reviewing video evidence, and considering competing accounts of what happened, the jury rejected the self-defense claim and convicted Anthony of murder.
The sentencing phase proved just as emotional as the trial itself. Anthony faced a punishment range of five to 99 years or life in prison under Texas law, while jurors also had the option of reducing the punishment through a finding of “sudden passion,” which would have lowered the sentencing range. Instead, the jury sentenced Anthony to 35 years in prison after hearing victim impact statements from Metcalf’s family and pleas for mercy from Anthony’s relatives.
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Below are reactions from celebrities, influencers, and public figures who weighed in on the June 9 verdict and sentencing. Opinions varied widely, with some praising the jury’s decision and others questioning the conviction, the sentence, or larger issues surrounding the case.
Celebs React to Karmelo Anthony Verdict was originally published on theboxhouston.com
